Intro: Haven't we all heard about "the child within us?" Childhood is often a revered time for many people who wish that they could be curious, playful, and carefree again. As result, the literary archetype of the child is an interesting one. The child archetype is always looking for adventure and fun, often in unlikely places and situations. Even so, the child can be unusually tough and resilient, and they can make the best of any situation. The playful child is constantly optimistic, always looking on the brighter, sunnier side of things. The child archetype can be found in a multitude of places; books, film, mythology, and countless others. Part of the reason why it is so common is because it is so multi-faceted, and it can be presented in many different ways.
Eloise, a six-year-old girl, lives with her Nanny in the Plaza Hotel while her mother travels abroad. She experiences many adventures because of her curiosity. For example, Eloise discovers that a prince is staying at the Plaza, so she decides she must find out which room he is staying in. The workers at the Plaza worry about Eloise disrupting the prince, especially because they tried to keep him a secret from Eloise. Eloise is innocent because she is only six, and her intentions are always good. Eloise does not exactly fit the child archetype, however, because of her advanced maturity. Since Eloise grew up surrounded by mostly adults, she is very comfortable communicating with them in a mature, somewhat intelligent fashion.
- Katie
A great example of the innocent child archetype is Shirley Temple. Shirley Temple was born on April 23, 1928 in Santa Monica, California. She started dance lessons at the age of three in a studio, where Charles Lamont discovered her. Shirley appeared in over fifty short and feature films as a talented singer and dancer. Everyone adored Shirley Temple because of her happy youthful personality, her curls, and her cute innocent face. However as she grew older, she discovered it harder and harder to find roles. We will always remember Shirley Temple as the cute and innocent little girl singing and dancing on the television screen.
-Katie
An example of a curious child archetype is Alice from Alice in Wonderland. One day Alice, a seven year old, decides to follow a rabbit running past her with a watch in his hand saying how late he is, chasing it down a long dark rabbit hole. As Alice continues to curiously follow the rabbit, she realizes she will need to find a way out. She discovers a very small door and next to it on a table, a bottle that says “Drink Me.” Alice, believing she is too intelligent to fall for such a trick, looks for a “poison” label or "caution" sign on the bottle. Finding none, she decides to drink it, curious to discover its effects which turn out to be negative. Although Alice is very curious and innocent like the child archetype, but she is also mature and intelligent, which doesn’t exactly fit the archetype. -Katie
Peter Pan is a young boy of about ten, and is a good example of the archetypical child. He inhabits the island of Neverland with a gang of children known to him as the Lost Boys, and the many other residents, who range from Indians, to mermaids, to fairies, to pirates. His most recognizable trait is his inability to age, and he remains in a state of never-ending childhood. This has some negative effects, as he forgets any lesson or knowledge learned from an experience in order to remain a child. Though Peter’s character is based on the idea of everlasting youth, he commonly takes on some very adult-like responsibilities in leading the Lost Boys and fighting his nemesis, Captain Hook. In addition, he has an odd personality for a child. He is unafraid of death, is cocky, and at some times boastful and judging of others. -Grant
The well-known Biblical figure of David is one who could be said to fit the child archetype. David was the youngest son in his family, and occupied his time with being a shepherd. Under King Saul, the Israelites engaged the Philistines in battle. Three of David’s older brothers were in Saul’s army, and every few days David brought food for them to the military camp. During one visit, a Philistine champion, Goliath, came up to the camp and challenged the Israelites to single combat. As he was an imposing adversary, no one volunteered. David was a curious, however, and found that whoever killed Goliath would free his family from taxes as well as winning the king’s daughter in marriage. David foolishly volunteered, and with nothing but some stones and a sling, managed to defeat Goliath. Though this heroism does not fit the child archetype well, his antics that led him to it do.
The son of Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty, and Mars, the Roman goddess of war, Cupid is a timeless example of the child archetype in mythology. He is playfuland mischievous, and always causing trouble. Cupid is known to be a god of love and romance, adding a strange, far more adult element to his personality. Cupid’s famous gold-tipped arrows (that make people fall in love) far overshadow the legacy of his lead-tipped arrows, which inspire hatred between two people. Cupid is given responsibility to go between these two sets of arrows at his discretion, giving him a decidedly mature element of responsibility to add to his surprisingly rich character. Then again, Cupid’s carefree, playful attitude is definitely aligned with the child archetype. In fact, his childish appearance combined with this rather childish personality make him a prime example. -Lily
There is probably no book considered as classically and brilliantly American than The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain. Its main character, for whom the book is named, is among the more famous examples of the child archetype in literature. In The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, the first book that he appears in, Huckleberry (although thirteen) is just about as delightfully carefree as a character can be. He never goes to school, only sleeps, explores, and hangs around with his slightly more well-behaved friends, Tom Sawyer and Joe Harper. However, in the book titled with his name, Huck grows immensely as a character. He is adopted, and is forced to lead a clear, more mannered, and more adult way of life. Huck develops a much more adult personality when he fakes his own death to escape his drunken father, befriends a runaway slave named Jim, and sets off on a journey up the Mississippi river to free him. At the end of the book, he reverts again to his own ways. He leaves his hometown of St. Petersburg to basically go exploring.
The Child Archetype
Intro: Haven't we all heard about "the child within us?" Childhood is often a revered time for many people who wish that they could be curious, playful, and carefree again. As result, the literary archetype of the child is an interesting one. The child archetype is always looking for adventure and fun, often in unlikely places and situations. Even so, the child can be unusually tough and resilient, and they can make the best of any situation. The playful child is constantly optimistic, always looking on the brighter, sunnier side of things. The child archetype can be found in a multitude of places; books, film, mythology, and countless others. Part of the reason why it is so common is because it is so multi-faceted, and it can be presented in many different ways.
Eloise, a six-year-old girl, lives with her Nanny in the Plaza Hotel while her mother travels abroad. She experiences many adventures because of her curiosity. For example, Eloise discovers that a prince is staying at the Plaza, so she decides she must find out which room he is staying in. The workers at the Plaza worry about Eloise disrupting the prince, especially because they tried to keep him a secret from Eloise. Eloise is innocent because she is only six, and her intentions are always good. Eloise does not exactly fit the child archetype, however, because of her advanced maturity. Since Eloise grew up surrounded by mostly adults, she is very comfortable communicating with them in a mature, somewhat intelligent fashion.
- KatieA great example of the innocent child archetype is Shirley Temple. Shirley Temple was born on April 23, 1928 in Santa Monica, California. She started dance lessons at the age of three in a studio, where Charles Lamont discovered her. Shirley appeared in over fifty short and feature films as a talented singer and dancer. Everyone adored Shirley Temple because of her happy youthful personality, her curls, and her cute innocent face. However as she grew older, she discovered it harder and harder to find roles. We will always remember Shirley Temple as the cute and innocent little girl singing and dancing on the television screen.
-Katie
An example of a curious child archetype is Alice from Alice in Wonderland. One day Alice, a seven year old, decides to follow a rabbit running past her with a watch in his hand saying how late he is, chasing it down a long dark rabbit hole. As Alice continues to curiously follow the rabbit, she realizes she will need to find a way out. She discovers a very small door and next to it on a table, a bottle that says “Drink Me.” Alice, believing she is too intelligent to fall for such a trick, looks for a “poison” label or "caution" sign on the bottle. Finding none, she decides to drink it, curious to discover its effects which turn out to be negative. Although Alice is very curious and innocent like the child archetype, but she is also mature and intelligent, which doesn’t exactly fit the archetype. -Katie
Peter Pan is a young boy of about ten, and is a good example of the archetypical child. He inhabits the island of Neverland with a gang of children known to him as the Lost Boys, and the many other residents, who range from Indians, to mermaids, to fairies, to pirates. His most recognizable trait is his inability to age, and he remains in a state of never-ending childhood. This has some negative effects, as he forgets any lesson or knowledge learned from an experience in order to remain a child. Though Peter’s character is based on the idea of everlasting youth, he commonly takes on some very adult-like responsibilities in leading the Lost Boys and fighting his nemesis, Captain Hook. In addition, he has an odd personality for a child. He is unafraid of death, is cocky, and at some times boastful and judging of others. -Grant
The well-known Biblical figure of David is one who could be said to fit the child archetype. David was the youngest son in his family, and occupied his time with being a shepherd. Under King Saul, the Israelites engaged the Philistines in battle. Three of David’s older brothers were in Saul’s army, and every few days David brought food for them to the military camp. During one visit, a Philistine champion, Goliath, came up to the camp and challenged the Israelites to single combat. As he was an imposing adversary, no one volunteered. David was a curious, however, and found that whoever killed Goliath would free his family from taxes as well as winning the king’s daughter in marriage. David foolishly volunteered, and with nothing but some stones and a sling, managed to defeat Goliath. Though this heroism does not fit the child archetype well, his antics that led him to it do.
The son of Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty, and Mars, the Roman goddess of war, Cupid is a timeless example of the child archetype in mythology. He is playfuland mischievous, and always causing trouble. Cupid is known to be a god of love and romance, adding a strange, far more adult element to his personality. Cupid’s famous gold-tipped arrows (that make people fall in love) far overshadow the legacy of his lead-tipped arrows, which inspire hatred between two people. Cupid is given responsibility to go between these two sets of arrows at his discretion, giving him a decidedly mature element of responsibility to add to his surprisingly rich character. Then again, Cupid’s carefree, playful attitude is definitely aligned with the child archetype. In fact, his childish appearance combined with this rather childish personality make him a prime example. -Lily
There is probably no book considered as classically and brilliantly American than The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain. Its main character, for whom the book is named, is among the more famous examples of the child archetype in literature. In The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, the first book that he appears in, Huckleberry (although thirteen) is just about as delightfully carefree as a character can be. He never goes to school, only sleeps, explores, and hangs around with his slightly more well-behaved friends, Tom Sawyer and Joe Harper. However, in the book titled with his name, Huck grows immensely as a character. He is adopted, and is forced to lead a clear, more mannered, and more adult way of life. Huck develops a much more adult personality when he fakes his own death to escape his drunken father, befriends a runaway slave named Jim, and sets off on a journey up the Mississippi river to free him. At the end of the book, he reverts again to his own ways. He leaves his hometown of St. Petersburg to basically go exploring.
Citations:
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"Shirley Temple Biography". Bio.True Story. September 20,2009 <http://englishi2009-2010.wikispaces.com/The+Child>.
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"Shirley Temple". Ouidad. September 20,2009 <http://blog.ouidad.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/Shirley-Temple-photo.JPG>.
"Alice in Wonderland". Rdudrive. September 20,2009 <http://rdudrive.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/alice2m.jpg>.